Sir John Lavery work fetches $1m at auction in New York

DICK BARTON

AN OIL painting by one of the “Glasgow Boys”, Sir John Lavery, has sold in America for more than a million dollars, making it the fifth most valuable work by Lavery sold at auction.

Before the auction at Sotheby’s in New York, the picture, The Green Sofa, painted around 1903-1904, had been expected to sell for between $700,000 (£440,000) and $1m (£628,000).

It was bought by an unidentified American collector for $1,314,500 (£822,179).

Polly Sartori, a senior vice president at Sotheby’s, said: “There was strong international bidding for the painting.”

The Green Sofa features one of Lavery’s favourite models, German beauty Mary Auras. She also appears in at least two other Lavery pictures which have the word “green” in the title. The others being Mary In Green and Lady In A Green Coat.

The Green Sofa was put up for sale following the death earlier this year of its wealthy American owner Katherine “Kitty” Mellon.